Tropical Storm Gert forms in the Atlantic, heads for Bermuda

[News_Editor]

Tropical Storm Gert forms in the Atlantic, heads for Bermuda

2011-08-15 10:45:59 GMT+7 (ICT)

MIAMI (BNO NEWS) -- Tropical Storm Gert formed in the Atlantic Ocean on early Sunday afternoon, forecasters said, prompting a tropical storm warning for the British overseas territory of Bermuda.

Forecasters at the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) have been following the weather system since early Friday morning when it emerged as an area of disturbed weather in association with a broad low pressure area about 800 miles (1287 kilometers) northeast of the northern Leeward Islands. It slowly strengthened and became a tropical depression on late Saturday, before strengthening into a tropical storm on Sunday afternoon.

As of late Sunday evening, the center of Gert was located about 170 miles (275 kilometers) south-southeast of Bermuda. It is moving towards the north-northwest at a speed near 12 miles (19 kilometers) per hour.

"On satellite imagery, Gert is characterized by a fairly circular area of deep convection but is lacking in banding features," said NHC senior hurricane specialist Richard Pasch. "A small upper-level anticyclone that formed over the storm is providing some modest outflow, particularly over the southern semicircle of the circulation."

Maximum sustained winds of Gert are near 45 miles (75 kilometers) per hour, with higher gusts. "Gert is likely to remain over warm waters and in a weak shear environment for another day or so, which should allow for some intensification," Pasch said, although Gert is not expected to become a hurricane.

Because forecasts bring the center of Gert close to the British overseas territory of Bermuda, the Bermuda Weather Service has issued a tropical storm warning for the island. "Interests in Bermuda are reminded not to focus on the exact forecast track of Gert as only a slight deviation tot eh left during the next 12 hours could bring strong winds close to, or over, the island," Pasch cautioned.

Pasch said tropical storm conditions are expected on Bermuda on early Monday morning, bringing strong winds and rainfall accumulations of 1 to 3 inches (2.5 centimeters to 7.6 centimeters). Large swells generated by Gert will also affect the island, which could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

After passing Bermuda, Gert is expected to turn towards the northeast. "This system, which will likely become post-tropical storm Gert, is expected to pass well offshore of Newfoundland late Tuesday or Wednesday, so no impacts are expected over land," the Canadian Hurricane Center said regarding any potential threat to Canada.

Gert is the seventh named storm of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, following Tropical Storm Franklin which formed near the east coast of the United States on August 12. It affected no land and lost tropical cyclone characteristics over the north Atlantic on Saturday evening.

According to figures released earlier this month, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center is expecting an above-normal hurricane season in the Atlantic this year. The outlook calls for 14 to 19 named storms, with seven to ten becoming hurricanes and three to five expected to become a major hurricane (category 3 or higher).

An average Atlantic hurricane season produces 11 named storms, with six becoming hurricanes and two becoming major hurricanes. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, with peak activity in September.

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